Don't Worry, Beer Happy
by Maerynn
Summary: Adrien and Marinette have been working at the Miraculous Bar for a few years and are the best of friends. When an event happens that shakes the grounds of their relationship, how are they going to deal with it?
1. Chapter 1: Miraculous Bar

Marinette was handing a beer to a customer when Adrien leaned on the counter beside her, disgust painted clear as day on his face, nearly gagging.

"Woah, what happened to you? Did someone lose a finger again? Vomit in the bathroom?" she teased, flagging another customer down and swiftly moving on to prepare their customary drink.

He shrugged with a grimace. "Worse. Found two rabbits going at it madly in the men's bathroom. Dude didn't even have the decency to put his junk back in his pants while Cupid dragged them outside."

Marinette made a funny face under her polka-dotted mask. "I really don't want Cupid or Stoneheart job. I'll keep making drinks with my kitty."

Tikvah and Platon-Gontran, the bar owners who both understandably completely hated their names and instead went by Tikki and Plagg, were both very strict about their employees safety, and had insisted they all get nicknames while working the floor, and wear masks to protect their identities from the drunk creeps that were bound to fixate on any of the employees sooner or later.

Marinette had chosen Ladybug as her alter-ego, while Adrien was going by Chat Noir. Marinette had declared his mask to be the cutest thing ever upon seeing the black half-mask with pointy cat ears and silver seams. Himself was quite fond of her scarlet Venetian mask, adorned with black spots. It suited her well and made the blue of her eyes pop quite nicely.

"By the way," Adrien said with a smirk as he reached forward to refill a beer pitcher. "I spotted Wifi and Bubbler making out in the DJ booth. Again. Either that or they were trying to taste each other's tonsils."

Marinette chuckled, rolling her eyes. "And they still think they're being subtle about it."

"Hey LB! Are you Cinderella?" a patron called out loudly, making Adrien stiffens beside her. This tone never boded well. "Cause' I see that dress coming off at midnight!"

Marinette rolled her eyes again, cocking her hip aside and staring the customer down. "Really? Did you just google the cheesiest pickup line and decided to roll with it?"

On most nights, things would've stayed there.

On most nights, Adrien would've moved on to the next customer, feeling sorry for all the guys that honestly thought _that_ was a good way to flirt.

But on most nights, Marinette wouldn't have been wearing an almost scandalously short dress. On most nights, she wouldn't have to come out from behind the bar to cater to a table. And on most nights, the lewd and disgusting customer wouldn't've have grabbed a handful of her ass as she walked by.

Everything went fast.

Marinette gasped indignantly.

The customer _smirked_.

One second Adrien was standing behind the bar, the next he was swiftly hopping over it, grabbing the offender's collar with both hands. "Nu-uh," he said, his tone even. "See, this lady is off-market. So you might as well consider yourself cut off and drag your sorry ass home."

The other man looked like he was ready to fight, but Kim and Ivan's silhouettes came behind Adrien, and he quickly changed his mind. He picked up whatever was left of his dignity and scrambled out of the bar, leaving a startled Marinette behind.

"Are you okay?" Adrien inquired. "I know you hate any kind of physical contact from strangers."

She smiled at him softly. "Thanks for the save, minou. I'll be okay. Now, I believe table four is waiting for their cocktails."

"On it, my lady!" he exclaimed, smiling at her widely.

When you work in a bar, those things were to be expected. It played a huge part in the safety rules Tikki and Plagg had enforced for all of their staff. It didn't mean you had to roll with unwanted physical contact and even less be comfortable with it.

Some bartenders pretended, played the game in hopes of gettings higher tips. Volpina was one of them. She hated it as much as Marinette did, but said the tips made up for it. Some others dreaded inappropriate touches and found whatever escape they could to avoid it. Chat Noir and Ladybug had been pretending to be dating for a few years now, and it almost always deterred insistent patrons.

Wifi and Bubbler had chosen the same approach after a crazed fan had thrown her bra in Bubbler's face and asked him to sign her bare boob. In their case, though, Adrien wasn't sure where the lie was ending and the truth beginning, as he kept spotting them playing tonsils hockey but denying any relationship.

Marinette went back behind the bar, and Adrien watched her move flawlessly under the blacklight. She was wearing a shorter dress than usual that night, scarlet red and tied behind her neck with a black bow. She had let her hair down, and her bright red lipstick matched her mask, making her skin look even whiter than it was.

She was breathtaking.

He could understand why guys would want to hit on her. Marinette was beautiful, funny, smart. She had a fire in her veins, a confidence most girls lacked. She looked like she could take over the world and make it beg for mercy, all in a lithe, gorgeous little package. Everything your average guy wants into a woman.

And she was his best friend. His favourite person in the world.

Three a.m. came at long last, bringing with it the last call, and patrons were escorted out of the bar by two very eager bouncers missing their beds. Marinette and Adrien quickly counted the cashout, trying to ignore the moans coming from the DJ booth, and they left the bar, trusting Alya and Nino to activate the alarm system once they were done with… whatever they were doing.

On the sidewalk, Adrien smiled at Marinette, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "Need a ride home?"

She replied almost too quickly. "I'm okay, thanks. See you tomorrow?"

And with that, she was gone, walking down the street, her hands tucked in the pockets of her trench coat.

* * *

Adrien had just slipped into his pajamas after his really long night and was about to get into bed when his phone quietly chimed on his bedside table. Grabbing the device, his eyes widened in surprise when he noticed the message sender, seeing as he had left her perfectly fine on a sidewalk moments prior.

 _[Mari ] I can't do this, A. Call me, please. I'm losing my mind._

Adrien smiled fondly reading those words. He was pretty sure that was meant for the other A in his best friend contact book. They hardly ever texted each other, except to share lame cat memes.

True, they had knitted an odd but close friendship over the years. There were so much sloppy makeouts in dark theatre rooms or DJ booths you can pretend to ignore with someone before eventually bonding over it.

They had been working together at the _Miraculous Bar_ for a few years now, and she was one of his favourite people in the world. She was witty, funny, and bubbly. She had so much kindness inside of her, but also a fire that was raging in her soul.

But, four a.m. texts weren't usually aimed at him.

Her freakouts were generally meant for Alya, Marinette's female best friend.

 _[Adrien] Wrong A I think, Mari. It's Adrien. Are you ok?_

His phone chimed rather quickly after this, her name displayed in bold letters on the small screen.

 _[Mari ] Sorry_

 _[Mari ] It was for Al._

Adrien waited for a few minutes for a follow-up, but when it became clear that she had absolutely no intention of writing back, he braced himself for an inevitable rejection and pressed " _call_ ".

Marinette picked up after a few rings, and he heard what he thought to be a sniffle as she answered meekly, " _H-Hello?_ "

His heart sank a little in his chest upon hearing the blatant hesitation in her voice. Who had dared to hurt his friend? Pushing those depressing thoughts aside, he asked softly, "Hey Mari, I'm sorry for imposing, but you worried me. Is everything alright?"

" _No, it isn't, Adrien. I… I feel really lonely tonight._ "

"Why haven't you said anything at the bar? You could have come over," he asked, dumbfounded.

Marinette and her longtime boyfriend, Nathanael, had broken up a few weeks prior, and she was taking it hard. She had come home to an empty apartment at the end of a long night at the bar, without any form of warning or foreshadowing.

He was tired of her late nights. Tired of her absences. Knew she wouldn't quit a job she loved so much.

So he had just left.

" _I just didn't want to burden you. Forget that, adrien, I'll text Alya as I intended in the first place and let you sleep_."

Resolve poured in his veins. "Keep the door unlocked, I'm coming over."

" _Adrien, tonight had been wild. We're both exhausted. Go to sleep, we'll see each other tomorrow night._ "

Adrien shook his head as he gathered his clothes for the next day. What kind of friend would he be if he'd let her deal with those negative emotions on her own? "No can do, Princess. I'll be there in ten. Want me to bring a Disney and that fluffy blanket you love?"

There was a short silence on the other side of the line, a silence that got Adrien grinning. She was hesitating to give in, he could sense it.

" _Yes, please_ ," she eventually said, and Adrien locked the door behind him, both items already tucked under his arm.

"I'm stopping at Freddo's to get you some strawberry gelato, and then we'll talk."

" _Adrien_!" she squealed into the phone. " _It's four a.m. I don't WANT gelato_."

He chuckled. This was a blatant lie. Whenever Marinette Dupain-Cheng was upset, she downed an entire container of gelato, and he knew it pretty well. "Sorry, the line's gone bad, I can't hear you. I'll be there soon, Princess."

And he was. He stopped on his way at Freddo's, thankfully open 24/7 and grabbed the promised gelato and hurried to her place. When she opened her door, it was clear she had been crying. He grabbed her into a hug, trying to ignore the tear streaks on her cheeks and her red, puffy eyes.

"Oh, Marinette," he sighed.

She sniffed, turning her head away from him. "I'm okay, kitty."

"No, you're not." He pressed a kiss to her forehead to enhance his words. "You are hurt and upset, and you need a friend. I brought _Beauty and the Beast_ and the blanket you like so much."

Marinette smiled and let him in. "Thanks, Adrien, it means a lot to me."

She took the container of gelato he was handing her and retreated back to her apartment to put it away in the freezer, Adrien on her heels. The amount of discarded tissues beside the couch was heartbreaking. He knew she was still hurting, but didn't know it was to this extent.

When she walked back into the living room, she saw the way he was looking at the tissues and she took a step back, hugging herself self-consciously. "It's… it's hard tonight."

"I can see that. No offence, Mari, but you look like crap. Come here," he said softly, extending his arms for her.

She didn't move, staring at him with wide, blue eyes. "Can… can we put the movie in my room? I… I'd like to cuddle like last time. It really helped."

Adrien chuckled. Marinette was asking this like she was asking the biggest favour from him, while she was perfectly aware that he enjoyed their cuddling sessions just as much as she was. "Sure thing, princess. Hop, in your bedroom Mari."

Minutes later, she was curled up in his arms under the blanket he had brought, her head nuzzled in the crook of his neck. The movie played in the background, but as far as Adrien was concerned, neither of them was paying attention to Gaston's boastings.

His focus was entirely on the broken woman drifting away to sleep half splayed over his chest. Her breathing was quickly deepening, and he knew she was seconds away from slumber.

He was worried about her.

It had been weeks.

Weeks in which he had been at a loss to figure out _how_ he could help her.

The answer still escaping him, Adrien settled on wrapping his arms tighter around her and pressing a kiss on the crown of her head.

Whatever tomorrow would bring, he'd be there for her.


	2. Chapter 2: Hurt

"You slept with him again."

The accusation fell on her the second Marinette walked into the Miraculous Bar staff room. Alya was staring at her, her hip cocked aside, arms crossed over her chest. Her gaze wasn't really judgemental, but worry and something Marinette labeled as disappointment shined in the hazel eyes. Marinette frowned, walking up to her locker to hang up her jacket and ostensibly avoiding her friend's heavy glare.

"I haven't had sex since Nate. And you know this," she answered flatly, knowing perfectly well that it wouldn't deflect Alya from her interrogatory. Trying to deny Adrien had come over was useless, he had probably mentioned it to Nino, not thinking anything of it.

It _wasn't_ supposed to mean anything, after all.

"That's not what I mean and you know it. Why did he come over? Did you text him?" Alya said as she slipped Wifi's mask over her eyes.

Marinette sighed, adjusting the straps of her top on her shoulders. "Not on purpose. I meant to text you in the first place, but ended up texting him instead."

"Your subconscious played tricks on you, girl. Anyway, why did Adrien end up sleeping at your place _again_? It always ends up hurting you."

Marinette gulped audibly.

Alya was right. Every time she spent the night with Adrien, which happened much more often that she'd like to admit, she was feeling weird and awkward for the following few days.

She loved him.

She had never meant for it to happen, but it had been stronger than her will.

He was the real reason Nathanael had left. Not that anyone besides Nathanael and Alya knew.

He had realized her feelings for Adrien went way beyond simple friendship and had simply left. He hadn't even tried to fight.

And that's what hurt Marinette the most.

Nathanael had given up on years of history because her treacherous heart had taken a path she hadn't wanted it to. She had hurt him, had swung a wrecking ball in their relationship without meaning to.

And now she was left empty handed. Stuck in between a man she still loved dearly but had hurt beyond words, and a man that she didn't want to love but unbeknownst to him held her heart in his palm.

And Alya knew about all this.

Knew how Marinette was feeling guilty for how things had turned out with Nathanael and her fickle heart.

Knew every little touch of Adrien left her craving for more, and how much she hated herself for it.

But she didn't have the strength to push him away, to distance herself from him for her own sake. He was her best friend even if she pushed her romantic feelings aside, and she couldn't imagine a life without Adrien in it.

Even if it hurt her.

"Nothing happened," Marinette replied defensively, hugging herself under the stare of her best friend.

Alya shook her head, her lips barely a thin line. "I know. Nothing ever happens between you two, or you'd be over the moon as we speak. But I also know Adrien wouldn't come over and sleep in your bed without a good reason, Marinette. What happened?"

"Yesterday was rough. A patron got handsy with me, and hearing Adrien say that I was taken, again… it stung. And then I came home to an empty apartment again and I… I kinda freaked out."

"Girl, you have to tell him how you feel about him," Alya said softly. "This is eating you up."

Before Marinette could reply, Adrien and Nino entered the staff room right on cue, playfully bantering with each other. They seemed to be arguing about some superhero movie that was about to come out, Adrien rooting for it while Nino was labeling it as lame and cliché.

As soon as he spotted her, the DJ made a beeline toward Alya, completely ignoring Marinette and planting a peck on the corner of the redhead's lips.

"Kiss her already," Adrien rolled his eyes. "Nobody is buying your 'we are just friends' act."

If either of the boys noticed the pointed look Alya gave Marinette, they didn't feel the need to mention it. Nino poked his tongue out at his friend and resumed his not-so-subtly intimate conversation with the woman wrapped in his arms.

Chuckling, Adrien wrapped his arm around Marinette's shoulders, smiling at her broadly. "Hey, here's my Princess! Feeling better?"

She forced a smile on her lips the best she could, only managing to make him frown in the process. He knew her too well to be fooled by such an act, but wouldn't press further in front of their friends. "I am," she replied softly, hoping to deter him from prodding further. "Thanks for coming over, it helped a lot," she lied

She turned her back to him to grab her mask, unable to sustain his peering gaze.

He knew she was lying. She could see it in the kind green eyes studying her in silence.

As she slipped the red mask over her eyes, she briefly wondered how in the world he could be blind to her feelings for him and yet know her like the back of his hand and read her like an open book.

Was he really that oblivious?

Nino broke her train of thoughts as he loudly boasted, "The mix I have for tonight is going to be completely rad! You guys should take a break and hit the dancefloor sometime tonight, you'll absolutely love it."

"Yeah, I'm sure Plagg will _love_ manning the bar alone just so we can dance in the middle of our shift," Marinette countered, a smile creeping on her lips despite her foul mood.

Nino whined loudly, "Aww, that man obviously doesn't know what fun is."

"And I also happen to sign your paycheck, so watch that nasty tongue of yours, Nino," Plagg's voice interrupted them from the doorway. He was smirking, a Cheshire grin that made Marinette chuckle. Plagg was grumpy and sarcastic, but he was fair and under his whining facade there was a heart of gold always ready to help his staff out. "Kim and Ivan are getting ready to open the doors, there's a line again," he resumed. "Time to shine, guys."

The entire team loudly cheered to give them the courage to affront the night and followed their boss into the bar. Nino took place in his booth as he lowered his colorful mask over his face, testing a few lighting settings before putting a cheerful song on as the others got ready. Alya was on snack duty that night, so she disappeared into the kitchen, getting ready to handle nachos and chicken wings orders from hungry and drunk patrons.

A dangerous combo if there was no one to cater to their needs.

Marinette busied herself checking their inventory, making sure they had enough stock to sustain the thirst of their customers, while Adrien was checking the glasses were all really clean. In doing so, he moved closer to her and she became painfully conscious of his proximity. She could almost feel the warmth emanating from him, and she barely avoided dropping the beers she was holding.

"Are you okay, Mari?" he asked, concern clear in his voice.

She cursed under her breath. Of course, he noticed her mishap. Of freaking course. Why in the world did he have to have that kind of effect on her? Why could he turn her into a mess simply by being beside her? By breathing the same air she did?

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "Yes, I'm fine. Let's get this show rolling."

"Oh shit guys," Kim interrupted them, barrelling into the bar with a worried gaze. "We have a bachelorette party."

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a worried glance.

Bachelorette parties were never good news for the staff of a bar.

They tended to get pretty wild, and pretty fast. The bridesmaids' goal was usually to get the bride-to-be as drunk as they could, often following suit, and things more often than not got messy.

Just like Cupid had expected, they soon found themselves in the middle of a full fledge bachelorette party, and a rather big one. Bubbler modified his mix accordingly, trying to cater to the needs of the wild crowd. There were thirty or so loudly cheering woman, thirsty for alcohol and debacle,

Ladybug cast a glance to Chat Noir, both of them bracing themselves for the incoming onslaught of fancy cocktails and cutting off drunk girls upset they weren't the one wearing the veil. He was looking at her too, his lips stretched into a thin line of determination. They would go through it like the perfect team they were.

Unbeknownst to Adrien, Marinette was also bracing herself for the bridesmaids hitting shamelessly on her best friend in front of her.

She knew it would happen.

It always did.

It didn't mean it would hurt less when it did.

It began slowly that night. Could've gone unnoticed if she hadn't been paying close attention to it.

It began with Marinette noticing two of the bridesmaid kept waiting for Adrien to be available to serve them before ordering. It didn't matter if she was free as a bird, they both kept leaning on Adrien's side of the bar, exposing their cleavages as they did so.

Then came the next logical step.

Small touches, longing glances.

Giggles so obviously fake that Marinette half wanted to drown them both into beer.

But it was sadly part of the job, so she powered through it, ignoring the pang in her chest.

Up until one of them let her hand lingered a little bit too long on Adrien's arm, and Marinette saw his expression clearly shift to displeasure under his mask.

She knew it was her cue.

No matter how much she hated the lie, how much she hated to enact her most crazy dreams while knowing they weren't more than fantasies, she owned it to him to began the routine they had perfected over the years.

"Honey, could you come and give me a hand with this?" she asked in the most sugary tone she could manage. "I'm having troubles opening this bottle of vodka."

Chat Noir flashed her a thankful smile and promptly excused himself from his admirers, hurrying to Ladybug. He grabbed the already open bottle of vodka from her hands and pressed a kiss on the corner of her lips. "Here, let me handle this, Princess."

He was speaking a little louder than necessary, but the two bridesmaids seemed to get the memo. They both retreated from the bar with matching frowns, obviously disappointed.

Of course, male patrons that weren't part of the bachelorette party were throwing lame pickup lines at Ladybug, and their little show deterred them too.

But Marinette couldn't care less.

Because she felt just as disheartened as the two dejected bridesmaids.

This was an act that was beginning to hurt her more and more.

Three a.m. blissfully came at long last, and Stoneheart and Cupid escorted the last drunk bachelorettes out of the bar. Wifi was done tidying up the kitchen, having closed the doors around one a.m., and came out of the DJ booth to help Ladybug and Chat Noir clean up the bar.

"You okay?" Alya whispered at Marinette as they were wiping a substance they both preferred not to identify from the counter.

Marinette gulped, pushing her mask off her face. "I don't know," she replied honestly. "It's… it's getting harder."

Alya frowned at her. "Tell him," she also commanded.

Marinette lifted her gaze toward the blond counting the cashout, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

"I can't," she said to her friend. "I can't risk losing him."

Alya scoffed, throwing her rag on the counter. "Honestly, Mari, if your friendship really is that fragile, I don't know why you're even bothering. If you _really_ matters to him, he'll understand."

Marinette stared at Adrien for a minute, letting her mind wander to a happier universe, where they would be a thing. Where they would love each other.

"You can't understand, Alya," she said softly. "He's my everything."


	3. Chapter 3: Abandon

He had looked at her all night in between mixing drinks.

About how her eyes were lacking their usual sparkle.

How her shoulders were hunched, her smile so obviously fake.

She had been on his mind all evening as they worked, casting short glances at her when she wasn't looking. Had something happened with Nathanael? If that bastard had hurt Marinette again, he was honest to heavens going to rip his head off.

"Tikki?" He called out into the office. "Do you think you could handle the cashout for tonight? I already counted it, you just have to put it in the safe and do the envelope for the deposit. I'd-"

The small woman looked up from her computer, her eyes shining playfully behind her extravagant glasses. "Go talk to her, Adrien, it's fine."

"Thanks, Tikki, you're the best," he said with a soft smile.

When he came back in the front, he spotted Marinette putting back the glasses that just came back from the dishwasher. "Marinette?" he called out. "I'd need help in the back."

"Coming!"

As soon as she walked into the backstore, Adrien wrapped his arms around her shoulder in a tight hug, resting his chin on top of her head. "Mari, I'm your best friend, right?"

She stiffened into the hug, her fingers almost painfully digging into his arms. "Y-yes. Of course, you are, Adrien."

Adrien let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. "Then please tell me what's wrong, Mari. I can't stand seeing you hurt like this. I can't help you if I don't know what needs to be fixed."

The sniffle startled Adrien, and when he pulled away from her, he could see the tears rolling down her cheeks already. "I… I can't keep pretending that we're a couple, Adrien. It hurts too much."

That wasn't what he expected.

"Why haven't you said anything? It's because of Nate, isn't it? Your breakup is still pretty recent, I should have thought about it. Mari, why haven't you said so?"

His voice was frantic, desperate. He was hurting her. He could have stopped her pain if only she had just said something.

He scanned her face, trying to understand her.

Understand why she had kept it hush.

She hiccuped through her sobs, nodding weakly. "I… I didn't want to let you down. I-I know you hate it when… when patrons hit on you. If… If I had said something… and you'd left me… I would be crushed."

Adrien felt his heart missing a beat.

She honestly thought he would turn his back on his best friend over something like this?

He knew how lonely she felt. How coming back every night to an empty apartment was crushing her. He could understand her fear. She couldn't stand the thought of someone else abandoning her, someone else leaving her behind.

But thinking that she believed him capable of such a thing was heartbreaking.

"I would never abandon you, Marinette. I'll tell you what, I'm off tomorrow, so why don't I come over and you could try to beat me at that new game you bought."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smiling through her tears. "Adrien, I kick your butt every single time we play."

He smiled, pulling her into another hug. "I love you, Mari. You're my best friend in the world. I care about you too much to vanish from your life, bug."

* * *

Bar locked up, they both headed to his car, playfully bantering with each other.

It wasn't the Marinette he knew just yet, but there was a notable improvement.

"Are you hungry?" he asked as she slid into the passenger seat.

She smiled, the first genuine smile he had seen on her face that day. "Chinese takeout?"

"Sounds good to me. And then I'll let you obliterate me at Ultimate Mecha Strike V."

"Let me?" she huffed. "I'll let you know I win fair and square every time, Chaton."

Roughly three hours later, with Marinette curled up against his chest in his bed, Adrien stroked her hair as he thought.

What could he do to ease her pain?

How could he be a better friend for her?

* * *

Adrien loathed his days off.

Sure, he knew rationally that his mind and his body needed the breather, but it was lonely. All of his friends were working at the bar, so they were sleeping all day in order to be fresh and proper for their shift.

He, on the other hand, had done his groceries, tidied his flat, and done a batch of spaghetti sauce and some homemade dumplings.

It was now ten in the evening, nothing was on t.v., his favourite anime was on hiatus, and Adrien was bored.

[Alya] There's a creep at the bar.

Adrien chuckled upon receiving Alya's message. She was always a tad dramatic.

[Adrien] What's new about that? There are creeps every single night.

[Alya] This one wants Mari. Won't take no for an answer.

That explained the late night text. Alya was worried about Marinette.

[Adrien] Is she okay?

If she wasn't, he'd go to the bar without any hesitation. Kim and Ivan were busy enough as it was with the customers, and Marinette would never ask them to escort a patron out, no matter how inappropriate they could behave.

[Alya] So far so good. But he won't stop staring and dropping lame pick up lines.

[Alya] Didn't think Mari could roll her eyes like that.

[Alya] Is there an eye-rolling competition? Cause I have the winner.

Adrien laughed. He knew just how far Marinette's eyes could roll, considering she tended to roll her eyes at him every time he was to drop a pun on her.

He tried to focus on his game, but Alya's words were nagging him at the back of his mind. Would the bugging customer give up on Marinette? Was she really okay?

His answer came around three in the morning (his sleep schedule was really messed up). His phone chimed yet again.

[Alya] The creep is still here.

[Alya] Stares at Mari like she's some kind of T-bone.

Adrien groaned. Those were the worst.

[Alya] Adrien I'm scared.

[Alya] What if he follows her home?

The idea made bile rise in his throat. Before he even processed her words, he had jumped to his feet and grabbed his keys.

Marinette wouldn't get hurt.

Not on his watch.

[Adrien] I'm on my way. Tell Mari to wait for me.

[Alya] Can't, she already left. Stubborn bug. Says she'll be fine.

[Alya] The creep left right after, and Kim and Ivan are busy with some fight that happened in the parking lot.

[Alya] Adrien, please.

Adrien cursed under his breath as he got into his car. Even if he sped, he wouldn't be at the bar for at least ten minutes.

Ten long, excruciating minutes in which a lot could happen.

In which he could lose Marinette.

The steering wheel felt heavy in his hands as he drove through Paris' streets.

What if he was too late?

What if the creep managed to get his dirty hands on Marinette?

Panic settled in his gut, and he took the next turn a little bit too fast.

His heart caught somewhere in his throat, he forced himself to calm down. Ending the evening wrapped around a lamppost wouldn't do to help Marinette.

That's when he spotted them.

Marinette, walking down the street, her hands buried in her pockets, headphone tucked in her ears, head swaying to the beat of whatever song she was listening to. She was wearing short black shorts with a pink tank top, and bright pink Converse. She had tied her hair into a messy bun, she was stunning.

About ten feet behind her, the shadiest man Adrien had ever seen. Dark jeans, black hoodie, hands shoved into his pockets, staring at the back of Marinette's head like it was some kind of beacon.

Adrien parked his car and all but bolted out of the habitacle. The creep was closing up on Marinette, and Adrien could feel his heart thumping loudly in his chest.

"Mari!" he called loudly, and the creep jumped, his fingers mere millimeters from her arm.

Marinette turned around and noticed the man standing way too close to her. "I've told you about a thousand times tonight. What part of "no" you don't understand?"

The man tried to backtrack, looking at Adrien like a deer in headlights as the blond grabbed his jacket, slamming his back against the wall. "I'm… I'm sorry…" the creep weakly tried. "I-I thought…"

"You thought that if you followed her home you could scare her enough to trick her into your bed? Not on my watch, buddy," Adrien spat, wrapping a protective arm around Marinette's shoulders. "And FYI, I work at the Miraculous too, so you can safely consider yourself permanently banned."

"Dude!"

Adrien felt his insides churns uncomfortably. Did that scum really have the nerve to try to argue? "Stay. Away. From. Her."

The other man backed away, fear spread on his face clear as day.

As soon as he scrambled away in the street, Adrien surged forward for Marinette, gathering her in his arms. "Are you okay?"

She lifted a misty gaze toward him. "He...he almost touched me," she said. "That man almost had me." Her voice was barely above a whisper. The last few seconds were finally hitting her with full force. Her sapphire eyes glistening with unshed tears.

The look on her face hurt him. Her eyes were staring blindly at his chest, her gaze staring at nothing in blank space. Adrien couldn't recall ever seeing Marinette in such a state of mind.

"He could have grabbed me and no one would have known," she whispered in his chest, voice barely audible.

She sank further into Adrien's arms, his hold tightening along to accommodate the space she was taking in his embrace.

Marinette sighed, resting her cheek on his chest. "I should have listened to Alya when she told me to wait for Kim to escort me home. I thought I would be fine once I left, I really thought the man would have stayed behind once I left the bar. I honestly never thought he'd dare to follow me home."

A gasp escaped her, though Adrien felt it could have been a sob.

Adrien places a small kiss on her forehead before resting his chin on her head.

A deep breath escaped him as he released some tension from his body. "I would have never let that man or any other man hurt you, Mari. I would have never let that creep get close enough to you to do what he might have had planned. Like I told you, I'd never abandon you, especially in times of need."

She was shaking, obviously she had realized how close to disaster she had come. She leaned into his touch, allowing herself to melt into his hug. He felt warm when leaning against his chest. Safe. "I… How did you know?"

"Alya texted me."

She nodded into his embrace, visibly unwilling to tear herself from him. "Thank you. He has been… insistent."

"That's what I've been told. My place?"

She nodded again, wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifted her effortlessly, carrying her to his car.

This had been too close a call.

His heart was beating furiously in his ribcage, threatening to burst out at any moment.

A few seconds.

A few seconds later, and maybe that freak would've grabbed Marinette and had his way with her.

She could've been hurt.

And why did that thought hurt so much?

Why was the very idea of Marinette getting hurt turning his entire universe upside down? Why did he want to lock her up away from any harm, and keep her all to himself?

Why did he crave her touch suddenly?

Why… When in the world had he fallen in love with her?


	4. Chapter 4: Pool Night

_[Adrien] Pool night?_

Marinette frowned at her phone, stretching her slender legs in the bathtub. Adrien had been acting strangely for the past few days, and this text message somehow felt out of the blue.

He kept staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking, but was unable to hold her gaze whenever she looked at him. This was new, and made her uneasy. Had she offended him by accident? Why wouldn't he sustain eye contact with her anymore?

They used to work in perfect sync, gravitating around each other flawlessly, communicating through small glances and fleeting touches. All of this symbiosis was suddenly gone, leaving her in the dark as to why their bond was tainted.

The other odd thing was that he was keeping close tabs on every male patrons at the bar. It was subtle, and she might not have seen it if Alya hadn't pointed it out, asking what was up with him.

Marinette figured it had to do with the creep incident, but Adrien was effectively stopping every man in the bar from talking to her too much or attempt to flirt, letting her tend to the female customers and going out of his way to ensure the men would order from him.

She would lie if she'd say she didn't like that protective side of him, but where did it come from?

His entire demeanour had changed. He was more serious, more thoughtful, and he nearly didn't joke with her at all during their shifts. Marinette found herself missing him, missing their easy banter and their close friendship.

She had voiced her worries the night prior. "Are you mad at me?" she had asked, unsure if her heart could take the blow of a positive response.

He had looked surprised, looking at her like a deer in headlights. "What? No! Where does that even come from?"

"You've been kinda out of it, the last few days. I'm worried, to be honest," she had replied, frowning at him. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No!" Adrien had replied maybe a little too fast. "No! I'm sorry, I swear there is nothing wrong with you, um, I mean, with us. Not that there is an 'us', of course, but—"

Marinette had burst out laughing at that. He faintly reminded her of a much younger version of her, stammering whenever she was caught off-guard or flustered.

She hadn't expected him to act on her worries.

And here he was, offering a game of pool on their night off.

 _[Marinette] In the mood for having your ass kicked, kitty?_

She giggled to herself, imagining Adrien on the other side of the screen. She could almost see his pout, see the way his eyebrows were furrowed.

 _[Adrien] Big meanie._

 _[Adrien] At Miraculous in 30?_

Marinette glanced down at her body immersed in the bath and sighed.

 _[Marinette] Make it 1h. You interrupted my weekly sacred bubble bath._

The answer came quickly.

 _[Adrien] I'll make it up to you._

 _[Adrien] Please?_

Marinette giggled again.

 _[Marinette] This is going to cost you a fortune in cocktails._

 _[Adrien] Anything for my favourite bug._

She couldn't help but smile at the cute nickname. That man would be the death of her. But as she peered at their short conversation, something that was unusual in their relationship (he usually called her and they ended up much too often talking for hours), newfound resolve poured into her veins.

She wouldn't let unrequited feeling taint the amazing friendship they shared. Their bond was too strong, too precious to let something as hopeless as her romantic love for him break them apart.

Soaking in the warm water of her bath, Marinette made a decision right then and there.

If Adrien and she weren't meant to be more than friends, than so be it.

But she would make sure to enjoy their friendship to the fullest, having as many pool nights and sleepovers he'd let her have.

About fifty minutes later, she walked into the Miraculous bar, a pair of bleached skinny jeans and a pink lace tank top on. Her black bra was peering through the hoops of the lace, giving the attire an interesting edge. She was wearing her hair down, a luxury she didn't allow herself often since it was in the way.

"La-Marinette!" Adrien squealed upon seeing her. It was always an odd feeling, walking into the bar without their masks on, but it seemed to Marinette that night that there was an entirely new layer to the awkwardness.

Was her mind playing games on her?

"L-Lila and Kim wanted to play two versus two, are y-you up for it?" he asked, and yet again Marinette found herself what in the world was wrong with her best friend.

She smiled, nonetheless, and nudged him playfully in the ribs. "Game on, minou," she said as she grabbed the offered pool cue from his hand.

Marinette and Adrien walked up to the pool table where Lila and Kim waited patiently. As they saw the pair arrive, they stood from the stools on which they had been perched and greeted Marinette.

"Alright," Marinette smirked, cocking her hip aside, "who wants to go first?"

Kim laughed. "We can flip for it." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a coin. He placed it on the joint of his thumb, and flicked it in the air above the pool table. "Adrien, call it."

"Tails," Adrien called as the coin flew in the air. It fell back down on the green fuzzed covering of the pool table, landing with a small thunk and spun on its side. Spinning and rotating in a circle, the coin finally slowed to a halt until it flopped down, heads on top.

Kim grinned, "Alright, we're up first."

Stepping aside, Lila allowed Kim to take the first shot. Moving to one end of the pool table, Kim set into position, pool cues tightly gripped in hands. He bent and leaned forward, setting the end of the cue near the point of the awaiting triangle of pool balls. Easing the cue back, Kim gave a snap of his arm and sent it forward, snapping the white cue ball forward towards the other balls into a scatter as they bounced each other across the pool table.

The balls finally coming to a halt, Kim gave off a groan when one of the solid-coloured balls stopped near the edge of the corner hole.

With Marinette and Adrien's teaming up, Adrien wrapped his hands over Marinette's that was holding the pool cue.

"You go first," he said, giving her hands a squeeze, his hold lingering on her skin, "You've got this."

Escaping from his hand, Marinette suddenly found herself missing the warmth of his skin. She headed towards the pool table, hiding the hint of blush grazing her cheeks, blind to Adrien's own lingering blush in her back. Thankfully with the dim lighting in the bar, both their blushing cheeks went unnoticed from their pool partners. If anything, it could simply be chalked out from the body heat from all the people in the bar.

Setting herself up from where the white ball rested, Marinette had a hard angle to knock the solid green ball that Kim almost got in, but with a little creative body movement, she figured she could attempt the move.

Swinging both her legs on the side of the polished wood base of the pool table, Marinette angled her body in what some would think would be an uncomfortable position, but somehow she managed to hold the angle long enough to strike. Snapping her cue against the cue ball, Marinette managed to hop the white ball over the others and perfectly aim a hit against the solid green ball into the waiting hole.

"Yes!" she shouted, pumping her fist. "Looks like we're solids."

Kim stared at the balls, dumbfounded. "Damn. Though I have to congratulate on that sick move of yours, Mari," he added, giving her a thumbs up.

He wasn't the only one impressed. To her side, Adrien stood there with his mouth agape. Never before had he seen Marinette set a position like that for a shot when they played, just the two of them. Though, he had to be honest, that was one hell of a view from his position.

Snapping from his affectionate gaze, Marinette returned to him with a smile and threw her arms around his midsection, his arms wrapping around her instinctively.

She giggled in his hold. "You're up next, chaton."

He didn't want to release his hold wrapped around Marinette, but he had a game to help win for his lady.

"As my lady commands," Adrien replied, though he couldn't for the life of him tell what was happening while he was busy staring at Marinette.

Grabbing his cue, he headed forward to the pool table and stood where the cue ball rested. Only a few inches away from when Marinette had knocked the solid green ball in.

Glancing around the layout of all the balls, searching for another solid, he finally found a fellow solid and got into position. Angling himself around, he finally snapped his cue forward, sending the white cue ball across the pool table, hitting a solid orange ball. The ball rolled along the edge until it fell into the nearby hole.

"Yes!" he cried, fist-bumping Marinette. To the side, he could hear Kim give another defeated groan.

However, they only managed a two-row streak. Marinette hit the cue against another solid, though missing the hole that time, allowing Kim and Lila a chance.

Lucky for Kim, Lila managed to get a stripe ball in, helping ease the young man into hopes for a win.

Back and forth the two teams went. Both solid and striped balls disappeared throughout the game. Soon enough, Kim and Lila had only one striped ball left, Marinette and Adrien completely getting rid of all their solids, leaving only the eight ball left for the powerful duo.

With their turn up, the two conversed. Adrien moved in close, their sides touching as he rested his hands on the small of Marinette's back. His warm breath brushed against her ear and if they hadn't been in public, she probably would have been swaying at the blonde hotness overload.

"I'm thinking of the right middle hole to knock the eight ball into," Adrien said, apparently oblivious to his friend's predicament. "What do you think?"

Marinette gulped, willing her hormones to go back to sleep. "Y-Yeah," she said. "Either of the middle holes will do, though you're probably right that the right one would be easier for you."

Taking his lady's word, Adrien moved forwards towards the pool table, his fingers gliding along her back as Marinette's breath grew heavy.

Getting himself into position, Adrien called out the hole he'd be hitting the eight ball into and snapped his cue forward. With the lady of luck on his side, he managed to pocket the eight ball perfectly into the middle hole, easily gaining them their victory.

Hearing his best friend winning shout put a satisfying grin on his face as he turned around to join his teammate into celebration.

Laughing at their effortless win, Marinette high-fived Adrien, glee washing over her features. Kim pouted sourly after his defeat, crossing his arms over his chest. "I should've known better than to challenge you guys. I mean, everyone knows you're the perfect team. You two would make a dangerous and yet awesome couple."

They both flushed to the roots, and promptly looked away from each other.

"Adrien is much too big a dork," Marinette tried to counter, while knowing fully well that their colleagues _KNEW_ she appreciated it and found it cute.

Adrien snorted. "And how could I ever date someone that would choose Japanese food over Chinese food? She's turning her back on her own blood, you can't trust her!"

"Well, at least, _I_ am not ashamed of my tastes in music, Mister I-Sing-Cheesy-Pop-In-the-Shower."

He beamed at her, the friendly jab not bothering him the slightest. "Not everyone can have your flawless taste in music, Mademoiselle Rock'n'roll-DieHard."

"What can I say? Nino trained me well," Marinette answered, her heart light in her chest.

 _THIS_ was them. Easy, playful banter.

They knew _EVERYTHING_ about each other. Awkwardness wasn't a part of their relationship, and she wouldn't let it be.

All through the game, Adrien had eased up around her. He was holding her cues in between turns, had been bringing her drinks and snacks at a rather regular pace. He had been the perfect gentleman she knew and loved.

Her best friend.

Lila and Kim left them on their own, sour about their crushing defeat, and they decided to play a one-on-one game.

"Step aside, Agreste, I have to hand your ass over to you!"

He laughed as he watched her play her shot, and she ridiculed herself by sending one of his balls into a pocket.

"Mari?" he asked suddenly, instead of playing his shot.

She looked at him questioningly, taken aback by the seriousness in his tone. "Yes?"

He gulped, but sustained her peering gaze. "How did you know for sure you loved Nate?"

Marinette blinked, the question miles away from anything she could have been expecting. Questions about her period, about the game, about odd patrons, about her childhood, about anything, really.

But _THIS_?

This was unexpected, to say the least.

"I…" she began tentatively, "it was in the small things, really. I realized I couldn't see my life without him in it anymore. That I loved his flaws as much as I loved his strengths. Being with him… I felt like everything would be alright in the end, that no matter how rough things could get, we could go through it as a team. And-."

Her voice broke, overwhelmed, and she could see Adrien's horror-stricken face through her unshed tears.

"I'm so sorry," he blurted out, frowning. "I didn't want to upset you. Please stop crying, Mari. I can't stand it."

She sniffed loudly, willing herself to calm down. "It's fine, really, Adrien. Can we resume the game?"

If Adrien was off all night after this, and missed really easy shots, neither of them felt the need to mention it.


	5. Chapter 5: Upset

Adrien was restless.

That was the most accurate word to describe how he was feeling that night as he was waiting for Nino in the Miraculous Bar's break room. He kept pacing back and forth in the small room, his thoughts quickly but surely driving him crazy.

He had to admit the truth, at least to himself. There was no more hiding from it.

He was deeply and hopelessly in love with Marinette.

She was rocking his entire world, every single of her smiles was punctuating his happiness. He couldn't picture a life without her in it anymore, and it was driving him crazy.

Her words were resonating in his lovesick mind. _"It was in the small things, really. I realized I couldn't see my life without him in it anymore. That I loved his flaws as much as I loved his strengths. Being with him… I felt like everything would be alright in the end, that no matter how rough things could get, we could go through it as a team._ "

Marinette was clumsy, proud and had a tendency to be self-deprecating. And he only loved her more for it. And he _knew_ that together, they could overcome anything.

He loved her.

Madly, deeply, hopelessly.

When did that even happen?

His timing couldn't be worse even if he tried.

She was still heartbroken over her breakup with Nathanael, was still nursing her wounds.

And yet, he couldn't help but crave her, crave her presence by his side. Crave her touch, crave her affection.

He wanted her by his side. Wanted her to love him as much as he loved her. Wanted to build something with her.

He was screwed.

Totally, completely and utterly screwed.

He was head over heels for her, deeply in love with her.

Despite everything.

Despite the fact that she was very obviously still in love with Nathanael.

Despite the fact that she was lightning years away from being ready for another relationship.

Despite the fact that she had never shown any romantic interest in him.

That's when Nino finally walked in the breakroom, taking in his friend's upset appearance at once. "Hey dude, what's wrong?" he asked, tone caring.

"I'm losing my mind here," Adrien replied truthfully, raking his fingers through his already wild hair.

"I can tell," Nino snickered. "What's gotten your panties in a twist like that?"

For a second, Adrien hesitated.

What if telling Nino was a horrible mistake? What if he told Marinette, or even worse, told Alya? He didn't think he could survive Alya going all reporter-mode on her.

Nino beat him to it, though, sighing deeply and cutting short to his hesitations, "You finally figured it out, right?"

That got Adrien to stop his mad pacing. He stared blankly at Nino, his heart racing in his chest. "Figured out what?"

"That you're deeply, madly, and ridiculously in love with Marinette?"

The world stopped revolving for a split second for Adrien.

"Am I that obvious?" he asked, a sudden bout of panic flaring up in his chest. Did anyone else notice? Did _Marinette_ notice?

"Stop freaking out, dude," Nino stopped him before his brain could freak out further. "Marinette is just as clueless as you were until your recent epiphany. Honestly, you guys are giving all of us a headache."

Adrien gulped. "But what am I gonna do, man? I mean, her break up with Nate is so recent, and she's driving me crazy. She's all I can think about ever since… That guy that followed her home… I almost lost her, Nino. Had I been five minutes later…"

"But you weren't, Adrien," Nino replied. "You were there on time, and you saved her, okay? As for her break up… Maybe you should ask a woman about that. I don't know much about this stuff. I'd say go for it, but maybe I'm terribly mistaken. I'm a dude after all."

Adrien paused, looking at Nino with a blank expression. Ask a woman? But who could he ask? Alya was out of the question, the risk Marinette would find out about it was far too great. Juleka wasn't into guys, so maybe she wasn't the best option.

Who was left?

Lila.

Lila could help him.

She was a woman, very obviously, wasn't Marinette's best friend and was into men.

This could work.

 _If_ she agreed.

"Thanks, man, I might just try that."

Nino chuckled, "Whatever you do, dude, try to not get hurt in the process."

"I can't make any promises about that," Adrien tried to laugh off as he walked to take his spot behind the bar while Nino walked up to the DJ booth.

Part of him was grateful it was Marinette's day off. He didn't think he could manage to deal with her right now. Not without blurting out "I love you" at the most inopportune time.

One of their regulars sat up in front of him, smiling at Adrien warmly and ordering his usual drink. While Adrien was busy mixing the drink, the regular asked, "Hey Chat Noir? Where's Ladybug tonight? Is she sick or something? It's not the same without her."

Normally, such a question wouldn't have upset him.

Normally, he would only have answered in a calm, timely manner that no, Ladybug wasn't sick, she was only on her day off and would be back the next day.

Normally, he wouldn't freak out.

But with the stalker incident fresh in his mind, Adrien could only slam the glass he was holding on the bar, teeth clenched.

"Why are you asking? Wanna stalk her home too?" he all but snarled, surprising not only the customer but also Lila, who was working the bar as Volpina beside him that night.

"Hey, down tiger," she told him. "Dan was only making conversation, right, Dan?"

The customer looked at Adrien warily, tentatively accepting the drink he was handing him. "Yeah, I was just worried about her. Sorry dude, I didn't think I'd upset you by asking."

Adrien pinched his nose, groaning inwardly. "I'm sorry, dude, I overreacted. Look, that drink is on the house. Sorry again. I was way out of line."

"No problem, man. Hey, if you don't mind me saying, if you feel that strongly about her, you should put a ring on it. You two would make a fine pair."

How Adrien refrained from strangling him, he didn't know. But the urge was burning in him, and he clenched his teeth, forcing his glance away from him.

His eyes fell on Lila.

Lila.

Whose help he needed to enlist.

"Hey, Volpina…" he began, and he felt her gaze bore into him almost instantly.

She smiled, a smile that was somewhat predatory. "Yes, handsome? What can I do for you?"

"How… how do you tell a girl that you're into them?"

There.

The words were out.

No more backing out.

No more shying away from how he was feeling.

She merely giggled, handing a beer to the customer in front of her. "Someone's caught your fancy, tiger?"

He nodded as he busied himself mixing a complicated drink. Hopefully, Lila didn't find his silence offensive and only smiled again. "I'll tell you what," she replied, "I'm going to show you how to woo a girl. Let's meet at the mall tomorrow at three p.m., alright?"

"Okay," Adrien replied, handing out the drink. "Thanks, Volp."

"It's no problem at all, Chat Noir."

The remaining of the evening was eventless, as far as Adrien was concerned. All of his attention was focused on the next day.

Tomorrow, he'd learn how to woo his lady.

Tomorrow, he'd learn how to win her heart.

* * *

The next day, at the agreed hour, Adrien sat into the mall, waiting for Lila.

Why were his nerves that jittery, he didn't know.

What he did know, though, was that he would give anything to be waiting for Marinette instead. To take her jewelry shopping, take her to a nice dinner.

To spend some time with her outside of work and sleepovers born out of negative emotions.

"Adrien! I hope I haven't kept you waiting!" Lila's voice tore him out of his musings as she ran toward him.

He smiled weakly, "Not at all, Lila. I just came here myself."

"Well, then, shall we?"

She was wearing a short, short deep orange dress, and Adrien wondered if it was somehow part of showing him how to woo Marinette. An inch shorter and the dress would've been deemed indecent. The cleavage was worthy of mention too, as it came down to what he could easily guess was the edge of her nipples.

Was being _that_ sexy a norm when going out with a coworker?

"Come on, I'm going to show what jewelry a girl likes!" Lila cut short to his wonderings, pulling him towards a small shop.

She spent a solid hour there, pointing to necklaces and bracelets that were, according to her, certain to buy him his way toward any girl's heart. She even showed him a few rings, hinting heavily at a few that were perfect to propose with in her opinion.

Just as Adrien was beginning to feel uncomfortable, Lila suggested they headed to the restaurant to grab a nice dinner.

If that meant no more jewelry shoved into his face without ceremony, Adrien would have any dinner in the world.

That's how he found himself seated in some romantic restaurant, facing a very pleased with herself Lila. "See," she said, "this restaurant is perfect for first dates. The ambience is perfect, and the waiters aren't that nosy. Chances are you and your date will be able to go through an entire date without being bothered at all."

And while the idea was nice, Adrien couldn't help but feel slightly weird sitting in such a romantic place in front of a woman whom he harboured no feelings for whatsoever.

How he wished Marinette would be the one all dolled up, sitting in the seat across from him. How she would be the one to smile at him warmly and offer to share an entrée.

How she would the one talking to him about anything and everything at the same time.

He missed her.

There was no other way of saying it. He was missing her like he was missing a limb.

* * *

That evening, Adrien walked into the Miraculous Bar, his head full of brand new ideas. He would take it slow and nice with Marinette, show her his interest in soft, hopefully not overwhelming touches.

He wanted to win her, fair and square.

Wanted to do things right and build a solid, healthy relationship with her.

If only she'd let him.

"Adrien, can I talk to you?" a drawled out voice interrupted his train of thoughts.

He spun around, only to find himself facing his boss, Plagg. He gulped painfully, before forcing a smile on his lips. "For sure, Plagg. What's wrong?"

"For heaven's sake, kid, wipe that fake smile from your face, it's creepy. Here, I wanted to give you this," the older man said as he dropped something into his open palm.

It was a simple, silver ring.

He raised questioning eyes toward Plagg, wondering what the heck he was supposed to do with a ring.

Plagg only chuckled. "It has come to my attention that Chat Noir and Ladybug have dropped the dating charade. I know those flirting patrons make you uncomfortable. With this on your left ring finger, you can pretend to be married. It should deter most of your… fans."

Adrien looked at the silver signet ring, sliding it on his finger tentatively. It wasn't a perfect fit, it was slightly too large, but it would stay in place without sliding off at the very least.

"I'm… I mean, thanks, Plagg, obviously, but why?"

"Because you're one of my best bartenders," Plagg replied. "And because I know things are rough right now. Don't worry kid, everything will work out in the end. You'll win your lady fair and square."

He left the room on those words, leaving a confused Adrien behind.


End file.
